Savvy Halloween

Halloween has most definitely been “Americanized,” in the sense that it has become all about buying large amounts of candy and discounted decorations.  It is a mindless holiday that people ritualistically practice without even thinking about it.  It is rare to hear someone talk about the history of Halloween.  However, the history of Halloween and more specifically how it got to America, is one of the most interesting things about the holiday.

Where Did “Trick or Treat” Come From?

Perhaps one of the most popular and widespread Halloween traditions is ringing the doorbell and saying “trick or treat” in exchange for candy.  This is done by millions of children every year, but few could tell you where this practice comes in the history of Halloween.  It was not always a part of the holiday.

For thousands of years, Halloween was merely a blend of pagan rituals and Christian customs.  Ceremonies and festivals were held on the day, and people did dress up in costumes.  However, it wasn’t until the second half of the nineteenth century that these traditions, along with others, began to make it to America.  An influx of new immigrants meant new traditions, and these contributed to how Halloween is celebrated today.

“Trick or treat” was one such tradition brought from England.  During all Souls’ Day parades, the poor would beg for food.  More fortunate families would give the poor “soul cakes” in return for the promise that the poor would pray for their dead relatives.  This idea eventually trickled down to children, and led to the Halloween tradition we know and love today.

A Group Gathering

By the 1950’s, Halloween and trick-or-treating had become a fun way for communities to spend time together.  Halloween parties became popular, and many neighborhoods would go trick-or-treating together.  Trick-or-treating was an inexpensive activity that people could bond over.  Though by this time the history of Halloween had already been forgotten the traditions continued to grow.

The Tricks and Treats of Today

Halloween has changed very much throughout its long history.  While as little as 50 years ago, people handed out candy apples and caramel corn, today the goodies typically consist of Butterfingers and Hershey’s Bars.  Yet, despite the change that has occurred throughout the history of Halloween, the traditions that began the holiday are still remembered by a few select people—and it is their responsibility to make sure that it is never forgotten.

Tags: History of Halloween

Hosting a healthy Halloween

(NC)-Hosting a Halloween party doesn’t have to be all about the candy. Be a super-mom by hosting a healthier kid’s party that includes the classic Halloween décor but offers candy-free goodie bags and fun games designed to get kids physically active. This spooky feast will keep kids eating a balanced diet while still having a horrifically fun time.

A Creepy Feast

. Bat Wings: Bake frozen chicken wings and serve with barbecue sauce (blood!) for dipping.
. Witches Cauldron Dip (recipe available at www.homebasics.ca)
. Ghostly Potato Cakes (recipe available at www.homebasics.ca)
. Frozen Eyeballs: Scoop vanilla frozen yogurt onto cookie sheets and refreeze. Garnish with a maraschino cherry iris and a raisin for a pupil. Serve two eyeballs per child.

Horror-ific Fun

. Monster Mash Off: Have a dance competition where kids create their own dances based on classic Halloween characters like the “Slime Swing” and “Footloose Frankenstein”.
. Spiderweb Team Challenge: (For school-aged kids.) Stand in a circle with a group of four or more people. Grab hands with two people who are not beside you. Untangle, as a group, moving under and over limbs, back into one open circle, without letting go of hands.
. Haunted Obstacle course: Plan a spooky obstacle course indoors or out. For example; create a “bat cave” out of old sheets hung over chairs, a cotton batting-lined hula hoop “spiderweb”, or a pile of pillows for “sleeping ghosts”.

Candy-Free Loot Bag Suggestions

. Dollar store treasures that could include Halloween stickers, spider rings, slime toys and glow sticks.
. Trick-or-treating survival kit, which includes a small flashlight, toothbrush, toothpaste and floss.
. Make-your-own spider pet kit that includes a black balloon, pipe cleaners, garbage bags cut into legs and instructions for assembly.

Dozens more ideas for a safe and fun Halloween can be found online at www.homebasics.ca.
Credit: www.newscanada.com

Tags: healthy, healthy Halloween

Don’t just look to desserts and sugary sweets to fill up your foodie needs for Halloween treat recipes.  You should eat more than just candy and cake on Halloween day, as you should on any day.  You could make a special dinner before taking the kids trick or treating, treat guests at a party, or just make the day special for you.  If you are invited to a Halloween potluck supper, you’re sure to cause somebody to scream following one of these unusual Halloween treat recipes.

Worms In Blood

This is just a variation of pasta in tomato sauce.  You can’t use canned pasta, as that sauce color is distinctly orange.  You need a real dark blood red, which you can find in ready made jarred sauces or fresh made sauces in the refrigerated section of your supermarket.  However, you need to find as thick a pasta noodle as you can, like linguini.  You can try angel hair pasta (the thinnest) and call them heartworms.  Be sure there’s a big sign describing them in front of the serving dish.  That’ll be a hit.

Green Smoothies

You don’t need a sign for this highly unusual Halloween treat recipe.  It looks like a think milkshake – only it’s bright or dark green.  The off-putting sight covers up the fact that green smoothies are not only good for you, they taste good (if you like vegetables).  You need a blender (you can’t get away from that).  You also need fresh fruit like banana, pears, mangoes, papayas or oranges.  The green is from leafy green vegetables like kale, Swiss chard, Romaine lettuce or spinach.

You need about 60% veggies to 40% fruit and possibly some water or skim milk to thin it out a bit.  Add the fruit first, and then add the vegetables.  Blend until smooth.  You can add things like lemon juice or mint for taste.  This is a Halloween treat recipe that differs a little bit each time you make it.

Mashed Alien Brains

If your family or friends aren’t familiar with what fresh avocado looks like, spooned out and mashed a bit from the avocado, then they are going to be in for a surprise come Halloween.  Call it mashed alien brains and see their reactions.  You could even add bits of chopped up red pepper or tomato and call them blood clots.  You could even add a drop or two of dark green food coloring to make even those familiar with guacamole to pause.  This is yet another versatile unusual Halloween treat recipe.

Tags: Halloween Treat Recipes

There’s no law saying that you have to make your own Halloween sound effects, but you get more into the spirit of the season doing it yourself and not buying ready-made tapes or CDs.  People – especially teenagers – will recognize the difference between a sound made live and that from a recording.  If you really want to scare the socks of or someone, then you will enjoy making your own Halloween sound effects.

Howling Dogs

One of the most chilling sounds is that of howling dogs, especially if they are middle to larger sized dogs who can mimic the low “ooooo” that wolves do.  If you have such a dog, then all you need to do is teach the dog to howl on command.  Either that, or find out what noise sets the dog to howling.

For example, this writer lives on a street that has many dogs.  We also live near a fire station.  Guess what happens every time a fire siren goes off?  That’s right – howling galore.  If you can get a recording of a fire siren or fire engine, which should set the dogs howling and you have a really effective Halloween sound effect.

Slinkeys

Remember those coiled toys that walked themselves down stairs?  Timed right, they can make a really spooky homemade Halloween sound effect.  They shake like a rattlesnake and get louder as they get closer to you.  It is better to use several for the sheer noise. You can either set them off down your darkened steps or suddenly shake them behind some unsuspecting soul’s head.

Popping Balloons

It’s all in the timing that makes this vintage homemade Halloween sound effect still marvelously heart-stopping after all of these years.  For best effect, don’t even let the guests see that there are blown up balloons anywhere nearby.  When they’ve turned around or when the lights suddenly go out, then pop the balloons.  They sound a lot like gunshots.  Be prepared to clean up some messes.

Megaphone

The most effective homemade Halloween sound effects are created by the hu8man voice.  With experimentation, you can create some pretty weird noises all by yourself. But they can play havoc on your throat. If you can, get a megaphone or a voice distortion apparatus.  These have gotten smaller and cheaper over the years.  Voice distortion toys can even be found in Halloween costume stores.  Some people even use a karaoke machine in order to suddenly startle their lucky guests.

Tags: Halloween Sound Effects

I can trace my obsession with vampires back to 1987 when I saw The Lost Boys for the first time (the first of many, many times). Years later, there was “Buffy”, then “Angel”, and later “Moonlight” on television.

I’ve always preferred entertainment with bite.

While I have to admit that the sequel, Lost Boys: The Tribe, was terrible, I still haven’t had my fill of vamps.

Thanks to young adult author Stephenie Meyer and he wickedly addictive “Twilight” series of books (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn), I’ve had more time to spend with bloodsuckers as of late.

Then there’s HBO’s new show, “True Blood”, based upon the vampire series written by Charlaine Harris, which includes Dead Until Dark, Living Dead In Dallas, Club Dead, and Dead To The World.

And, not to be outdone, Twilight (the film version) will soon be released in theaters.

I’d say my vampire obsession is only being fed right now, with no plans to expire any time soon!

Tags: Angel, Buffy, Charlaine Harris, Lost Boys: The Tribe, Moonlight, Stephenie Meyer, The Lost Boys, True Blood HBO, Twilight

Halloween is a great time for all kinds of treats—and they’re definitely not hard to find!  Starting in August and September, most grocery stores and convenient stores put bags and bags of candy assortments up for sale.  Everyone has a favorite traditional, store bought treat, but why not take your Halloween offering to the next level?  Using Halloween recipes to make your own treats can result in some of the best treats of all.

An Apple, Even Today

One of the most popular homemade recipes on the Halloween circuit is the candy apple.  Candy apples are easy to make, and they are perfect for treat-seeking kids and sweet-toothed adults alike!  To begin making candy apples from Halloween recipes, the following ingredients are needed:  1.5 cups of sugar, 10 apples, 2/3 cups of water, 1 pack of Cherry Kool-Aid, and 2 teaspoons of vinegar.  You will also need skewers to put the apples on.

First, mix the sugar water and vinegar.  Boil this mixture until it reaches 300 degrees.  At this point, set the mixture aside to cool.  While waiting for the mixture to cool, you can put each apple on a skewer to prepare them for dipping.

Next, add the Kool-Aid to the cooled mixture and stir well.  It is now time to dip the apples in the mixture.  Do so quickly and then set aside on wax paper.  Make sure to individually package these treats before handing them out on Halloween.

Pretty Poppin’

Another easy and delicious treat that can be made from Halloween recipes is the popcorn ball.  The popcorn ball is also another longtime favorite—any child would be happy to see this treat in their goody bag!  To make popcorn balls from a Halloween recipe, you will need: 8 cups of popcorn, ¼ cup of butter, 1 cup of candy corn, and 1 bag of marshmallows.

Place the popcorn (make sure it is popped) and the candy corn in a large bowl.  Melt the butter in a saucepan.  When the butter is fully melted, add the marshmallows to the mixture, stirring them until melted.  Pour the marshmallow-butter mixture over the popcorn-candy corn mixture, and stir with a large spoon.  When the mixture is cool enough to work with using your hands, grease your hands with butter and begin working the mixture into small balls.  To give out on Halloween night, package individually.

A Break from the Ordinary

Kids are used to looking into their bags on Halloween and finding the usual loot—Snickers Bars, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and 3 Musketeers Bars.  Halloween treats made from recipes that are just a little out of the ordinary will make for an unexpected surprise that trick-or-treaters will never forget.

Tags: Halloween Recipes

It is difficult to think of Halloween as being anything other than a purely commercial holiday.  However, there are many traditional recipes associated with Halloween that reveal the holiday’s history and importance.  Many of these recipes can be made with one sole source—the pumpkin!  One of the essential components of Halloween, the pumpkin is the main ingredient in many traditional Halloween recipes.

A Salty, Seedy Snack

One function of the pumpkin is to make traditional Halloween recipes, such as roasted pumpkin seeds.  These are a classic favorite that are both delicious and easy to make.  All that is needed to make this traditional Halloween recipe is a pumpkin, cooking spray, and salt to taste.

The first step in this recipe is the most difficult, and certainly the messiest!  The pumpkin must be gutted so that the seeds can be removed from the inside.  If you plan on using the pumpkin for other traditional Halloween recipes, then you will need to scrape all of the stringy stuff out of the pumpkin’s inside.  You can leave this “pumpkin gunk” on the seeds, however; it adds flavor to the dish.

After you have a bowl full of pumpkin seeds, spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.  Spread the seeds across the sheet evenly, and sprinkle with salt as desired.  Roast in the oven at 325 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes.  Serve hot, or wait until they cool.

A Pie from the Pumpkin

Pumpkin pie tastes great on Thanksgiving, but try having it on Halloween too!  It might not be traditional on Halloween, but this pie is a delicious recipe any time of the year.  You can make pumpkin pie using canned pumpkin, or you can make this treat using an actual Halloween pumpkin.

Simply scrape out all the seeds and stringy stuff.  Then, cut the empty, cleaned pumpkin so that it can fit into a microwave-safe bowl.  Add several inches of water in the bottom of the bowl.  Cover the bowl and cook the pumpkin for fifteen minutes on high.  Continue to cook the pumpkin on high in smaller increments of time until it is softened.  This process usually takes 20-30 minutes all in all.  Now, you have delicious pumpkin that can be used in a traditional pumpkin pie recipe.

Rituals, Old and New

Whether traditional or untraditional, Halloween recipes are delicious and meant to be enjoyed.  However, those with a tradition allow the history to be enjoyed as well.

Tags: Traditional Halloween Recipes

by Sirena Van Schaik

People often say, “Halloween, it’s just about the candy,” and although I often agree with them on some level, I don’t really think it is a bad thing. To me, Halloween is one of the truly whimsical holidays around. There is no deep meaning, although there is a history, and children and adults alike, can simply enjoy the day.

Okay, maybe not the adults since Halloween is not only filled with ghouls, goblins and other costumes but it is filled with candy. Lots and lots of candies and whether you are simply handing out some candy at night or stocking a classroom with some well-deserved treats, chances are you are thinking about the presentation as much as what you will be giving up.

Over the last few years, I have really seen an increase to the number of items that you can now purchase for grab bags. There are boxes, envelopes, stamped bags and the usual plastic bags. You can find them pre-stuffed or empty and chances are your grab bag will probably be different from all the rests.

The only problem that I really see with store bought grab bags is not being able to create them myself. If you are a crafty type of person like me, then chances are you feel the same way. There is nothing as enjoyable as making a grab bag for your child’s and seeing the overjoyed look on his face as he carts them out the door.

Since most of us don’t have much time, the key to creating an excellent fun and fright-filled grab bag is to find one that is easy to make. Enter my ghoulishly delightful grab bags. These are fast, easy and you don’t need to be the craftiest of people to make them, although they do allow for some changes and you can make them as complicated or simple as you like.

So let’s kick off Halloween right with these cute little grab bags that will have all the kids screaming, “TREAT!”

Halloween Grab Bags

What you need:
• Sandwich bags (You can use freezer bags or snack bags but you will need to measure the width of the bag and change the cardstock dimensions.)
• Black, Orange and White Cardstock (Halloween Colors)
• Stamps (I used the Stampin’ Up stamp set called Booglie Eyes)
• Black Stamp Ink
• White Craft Ink
• Straight-edged cutter
• Glue stick
• Orange Pumpkin Ribbon
• Embellishments (I used a paper clip but you can use just about anything)
• Stapler

Directions
Before I get into the directions, I just wanted to mention that you don’t need to create the exact same grab bag as I did. Follow the basic size directions but after that, the night sky is the limit. One of the secrets to creating nice homemade projects is layering. If you layer the paper, then you have a more 3 dimensional style grab bag. If you don’t have stamps, just use stickers or color Halloween Printouts that you find on the internet.
1. Measure your baggie. If you are using a standard sandwich baggie, then the measurement should be 6.5 inches wide.
2. Cut the black cardstock into 7” x 8” strips. Fold the cardstock in half so you have a folded strip that measures 7” x 4”. Set aside.
3. Cut the white cardstock into 2” x 2” squares. Also cut additional black cardstock into 2.25” x 2.25” squares. Finally, cut the orange cardstock into 2” x 5” strips. Set aside
4. Take one of your stamps and the white craft ink (or some stickers) and cover the front and back of your folded black strips with images. Don’t line the images up; simply throw them on in a haphazard manner.
5. Stamp the saying into the middle of the orange strip.
6. Stamp the Halloween ghouls onto the white cardstock. If you mess up an image, don’t worry, simply turn over the card and stamp the other side.
7. Glue the white square in the center of the black square.
8. Put the grab bag tops together. To do this, align the orange cardstock onto the center of the black folded cardstock, glue into place. Glue the ghoul cards onto the orange, leave a little of an overhang on the outer edges.
9. Tie a small piece of pumpkin orange ribbon onto the paperclip.
10. Slide the paperclip onto the grab bag. Make sure it overlaps one of the ghoul cards and the orange strip.
11. Attach to a filled sandwich bag by placing each side of the folded card onto either side of the bag. Staple to secure to the bag and close the card.

And there are your cute, fun and, most importantly, easy grab bags.

Tags: grab bags, Halloween Grab Bags

Pumpkin Seeds

This year, instead of throwing your pumpkin seeds away, roast them for a crunchy treat that’s low in fat and full of heart healthy goodness.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe

Toss 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) of cleaned, unshelled pumpkin seeds with 2 tsp melted Becel with Bertolli olive oil margarine.

Add a dash of salt or other seasoning of your choice - such as black pepper, garlic powder or paprika.

Bake at 350° F (175° C) on a baking sheet for about 45 minutes. Cool and serve with a bowl for the discarded shells.

Olive oil is high in beneficial monounsaturated fat, contains polyunsaturated fat and is low in harmful saturated and trans fat. Find ways to incorporate this winning ingredient into your repertoire online at www.loveyourheart.ca.

Tags: baked pumpkin seeds, crunchy Halloween treats, Halloween Treats, healthy Halloween treats, how to roast pumpkin seeds, pumpkin seeds, roasted pumpkin seeds

Halloween party food can be really fun to make, it’s the time of the year when you can make your food look unappetizing and people will still want to eat it. Children love the thrill of eating what they think is dismembered body parts and ordinary food that has been dyed fun colors.

If you don’t want your Halloween party food to be silly or disgusting looking then you can still have a sophisticated menu that has touches of this scary holiday. Whichever direction you choose to go in, here are some Halloween party food recipes and ideas to help and inspire you.

Silly Food

With children’s Halloween party food you can indulge your inner child and crank up the scare factor. Make scary ice cubes for the punch by freezing gummy worms into ice cubes. Gummy worms are a great addition to party food at this time of year and another way to use them is in ‘rotten apples’. Take regular apples and cut a hole in the apple that is deep enough for you to stick a gummy worm into.

For something more substantial make hard boiled eggs and cut them into halves after peeling. Take the yolks out and then fill the hole with whipped cream cheese. Then press olives with pimentos, pimento side up, into the cream cheese and voila! You have an eyeball. To add to the effect you can draw blood vessels by dragging a toothpick that’s been dipped in red food dye through the ‘white’.

For Adults

For adult Halloween party food stick to using seasonal ingredients and rely on keeping the theme black and orange. Pumpkin soup with a scary ornament at the bottom of the soup bowl is a wonderful starter. A salad that includes roasted sweet potato chips is also another way to inject a little seasonal color into your menu. For your dessert you can’t go wrong with a bittersweet chocolate tart.

If you want to have a buffet style party, keep the food simple and concentrate on the décor instead. Use spider webs and velvet for tablecloths, candles in wine bottles and so on to create the effect of a dining room in a haunted mansion. Use scary centerpieces such as a candy dish filled with eyeballs. Your food can be ordinary party food; the décor is enough to create the atmosphere. Do try and use orange and black in the food and crockery you choose.

Tags: Halloween Party Food